


The Wolf's Path

by Lorbie05



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Discord: Dumbledore's Armada, F/M, Final Battle, Scars, Soul Bond, Werewolf Mates, Wheel of death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25538839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorbie05/pseuds/Lorbie05
Summary: As her brown eyes met the brightest pair of hazel eyes, she could feel the lock in place of something inside her. She hadn’t realized something was missing until that moment. Her eyes felt just as heavy as her body as she tried to focus on his eyes.
Relationships: Lavender Brown/James Potter
Comments: 23
Kudos: 23
Collections: Dumbledore's Armada: Wheel of Death Flash Fiction Comp





	The Wolf's Path

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Wheel of Death Flash Fiction Comp hosted by Frumpologist in Dumbledore’s Armada Discord Server. My chosen character was Lavender Brown. My Wheel of Death prompts were James Potter, Soul bond, Peace & War, & “Love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey.” – Lord Byron.

“Over here! Quick, I’ve found another one.”

Pinned beneath a piece of wall, Lavender was able to barely crack her eyes open in search of the voice above her.

“Don’t worry love, we’ll get you out of here in no time,” she heard the same voice say as she felt his magic wash over her body in a gentle caress. His magic was unlike anything she had felt before, and even while she was in the worst pain of her life, she somehow felt at ease.

Lavender blinked slowly, trying to focus on his face. He looked like Harry Potter, but older. She noticed the same messy black hair and round glasses. Only where Harry had smooth, youthful skin, this man had lines around his eyes and mouth, showing a history of smiles and laughs.

As her brown eyes met the brightest pair of hazel eyes, she could feel the lock in place of something inside her. She hadn’t realized something was missing until that moment. Her eyes felt just as heavy as her body as she tried to focus on his eyes.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered as she gave into the darkness pushing down onto her body.

***

It could have been hours or days, Lavender wasn’t really sure, but when she opened her eyes again, she was blinded by all the white lights surrounding her. She could feel the steady thrum of the magical machines near her, the bandages wrapped around most of her body, and the gentle snore of someone close by.

Using what was left of her strength, Lavender tried to push herself up into a sitting position. She hadn’t realized she was making noise, until there was a strong arm behind her back helping her move into place.

The warm smell of cedar and cinnamon, with a hint of strong Earl Grey tea enveloped her. Lavender felt herself immediately relax in his hold.

“You’re still here,” she said. Eyes closed, Lavender let herself melt into his strong arms.

“You asked me to stay. How could I deny such a pretty girl anything?” he chuckled into her hair.

“What happened to me? I remember the battle beginning and fighting the Death Eaters, but then everything gets fuzzy. I remember you finding me, but I don’t remember how I ended up under that wall.”

She was confused. Why was she comfortable in his arm? James Potter. Harry’s dad. Because she knew who he was now. In the seven years of being Harry’s housemate, she had never even met his dad. And yet, here she was, the safest she’d ever felt, in his arms.

“I remember running, and then the wolf,” she gasped. Lavender ripped herself from his arms. “The wolf!” She ran her fingers over her face and could feel the deep marks across her right cheek, down her chin, and onto her neck.

“Oh my gods,” she cried. As she fell into a deep despair, she felt his arms around her again. She sank into his chest again as her tears continued until she fell back into a fitful sleep.

***

The next time she woke, she was by herself. And if she was honest, she was relieved to find herself alone. Lavender knew certain truths about herself, and the main one being that she loved and cared about her looks. She had to see the damage done to her.

She forced herself to get out of the hospital bed and make her way to the small restroom. With slow, cautious steps, Lavender slowly made her way to the room. Taking a deep breath, she looked up and met her own eyes in the mirror.

Immediately, her eyesight became blurry as she started to cry again. She took a step closer to the mirror, tracing the pink scars. She could tell the healers had done something to them. They were no longer bleeding, and they looked healed, but she knew she’d never get rid of them.

Many of her classmates had accused her of being an airhead, only interested in boys, fashion, and makeup, and while she let them believe she was one dimensional, she knew her own truth. She paid attention in school. She saw the scars that Professor Lupin was covered in. Hermione Granger wasn’t the only student to complete the essay on werewolves.

She knew her future now, covered in scars, cursed to be almost a wolf, but not quite.

Lavender heard the stories of Bill Weasley. Almost raw steak, an uncharacteristic temper on full moon days, and a carnal hunger for his wife and mate, Fleur.

All she had wanted growing up was to be a mother and wife, and now, she wasn’t sure that was even possible. Who would want someone as ugly as her?

“I’m hideous,” she whispered.

“You’re beautiful.”

Lavender whipped around to see James Potter leaning against the door frame of the restroom, staring at her with a look of longing.

“You can’t believe that or mean it. Look at me.”

“I am looking at you. I see a strong, beautiful, warrior woman standing before me. A survivor. You’re alive, living, you beat him. That’s what I see.”

“You don’t even know me. How can you say any of those things?”

“I know you felt it too. The night of the battle. I looked into your eyes, and I found home. Something I didn’t think I was even missing or looking for.” He took a step closer to her. “I’m not saying this will be easy. If I’m honest, I didn’t even know your name a week ago. I had to ask Harry after we got you here,” he shrugged.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I know the stories just as well. You forget one of my best mates is a werewolf. I know all about mates and soul bonds. And I know that the moment I looked into your eyes, my world changed, and I was yours. So, if you’ll have an old sod like myself, I could give you the world or at least a life full of happiness.”

“You could be happy with me? Looking like this?”

“Love, like I said, you’re beautiful, but I think you’ll find a lot of other people with scars.”

Lavender took the two steps left between them to enter his embrace. “I think I’d really like to have an old sod like you.”

“Good choice, love. I think you’d find it difficult to get rid of me. I’m pretty persistent when I want to be,” he chuckled.

***

Lavender stood in front of a body length mirror adjusting the goblin made tiara on top of her curls. It was a Brown family heirloom passed down for generations for the first daughter to wear on her wedding day. She looked down from the tiara to her proudly displayed scars.

James liked to show her every day how much he loved her and her scars. It had taken her much longer than he liked to be confident with her appearance. But with his continual reassurances and love, she was a stronger woman.

He was right, their relationship wasn’t easy. He was almost twice her age and a lord in the Wizengamot. She was the same age as his son and a victim of Fenrir’s rage. His friends and colleagues thought he was going through a midlife crisis. Her friends treated him like the parent he was.

They had to defend their relationship to almost everyone, and it wasn’t until Lavender, in a rage, told everyone about the consequences of her attack. Her friends stared at her as she told them James was her mate, her soulmate, that they had a soul bond, and that they weren’t going to separate.

To their surprise, Harry was their biggest supporter. When asked by reporters his thoughts about his father marrying a classmate, his response was simple. “They love each other. This world needs more love, and I’m happy for them.”

Lavender was pulled out of her thoughts as her best friend and maid of honor, Parvati wrapped her arms around her waist. “You look so beautiful, Lav.”

“Thank you, Parvati. And thank you for being here with me today.”

“You’re my best friend,” she shrugged. “Of course I’d be here with you today. Come on, it’s time to go get your lord.”

“I did always say I was going to marry a rich man,” Lavender laughed

“And that you are. Come on, your dad is waiting outside. I’ll go grab him on my way out.”

Her gaze went back up to the scars on her face as she heard Parvati walk away.

“Are you ready, Poppet?”

“Yes, daddy. I am,” she said while grabbing his arm.

Lavender let herself be guided to the crowd outside and to the man waiting on the other side of the isle. She felt her feet move automatically toward her future and destiny. As much as she hated Fenrir and what he did to her, so couldn’t help but be thankful.

Without her inner wolf, she wouldn’t have found James. Sure she would have probably met some other man, and she probably would have been happy. But she would never have found her soulmate. Her wolf had given her James, and for that reason alone, she couldn’t completely hate what happened to her.

The wolf may have carved her path, but she survived. And love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey.


End file.
